Swimming



Aug. 30 1927. 1,640,390

V. V. BACON SWIMMING APPLIANCE Filed June 12. 1926 mental v/c/m M 5000/1Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED, STATES 1,640,390 PATENT OFFICE,

vlcron v. BACON, or sroxnunwasnnveron.

. SWIMMING APPLIANCE.

Application filed June 12,

or guided by selective use of the paddle.

wheels. Means are also provided for adjusting the appliance to the sizeof the operator, and the operator is supported on the buoyant body inusual swimming position with the hands free to operate the propellingmechanisms) The invention consists in certain novel combinations andarrangements of parts involving the body of the appliance and thepropulsion mechanism as will hereinafter be more fully pointed out andclaimed.

In 'the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of my invention where in the parts are combinedand arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for thepractical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 11s a perspectlve View of an appliance embodying my inventionwherein the hollow, buoyant body, having the shape of a fish is equippedwith the manually operated propulsion mechanism.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View through the buoyant, hollow,air-tight and watertight body of the appllance.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view at line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the bearing-supports forthe propulsion mechanism, showing the adjusting means therefor.

In the preferred form of my invention I utilize a body 1 fashioned fromsuitable light material and preferably in the form of a fish, having aninterior air, and water tight compartment 2 extending substantiallythroughout its length, and a keel portion 3 at its underside. Toward therear of the body its sides converge as indicated at 4, 4, and thenarrowest portion, between side edges 5, 5, is straddled by the operatorwho sits upon the fan-shaped, up-turned tail portion 6, facing of coursetoward the forward end of the body. In use, the operator 1926. SerialNo. 115,637.

assumes the positionof a swimmer, straddling the rear endof the body ofthe device and lying prone upon thebody 1 which ,is thus made to take anangular position with relation to the water level and submergedsufiiciently below the level of the water in order that the paddlewheels 7 and 8 may be effective in propelling the appliance. The wheelsare located at opposite sides of the forward end of the body. and arerotated or revolved so that their lower blades will pass through thewater for propelling the appliance; Each paddle wheel has .a crank-shaftsection as 9 and 9 and these respective sec tions are fashioned withcranks 10 and; 11 to be grasped by the right and left hands resectively. V v a he two sections 9 and 9 of the crank shaft thus form asectional shaft disposed transversely of the applianceand they aresupported to revolve in a long bearing sleeve 12, it being understoodthat. the paddle wheels are thus independently revolvable by the use ofthe cranks. Thus the right paddle wheel may be turned to propel theappliance and the leftwheel remain idlefor steering purposes, or theoperator may the upper face ofthebody of the appliance and is supportedat itsends in bearing collars 13, 13, each of which is integral with orfixed to a bracket arm 14 that extends through a slot15 inv the body ofthe appliance and located near one of its sides. -The slight angle tothe flat upper face of the body of the appliance and they are sup portedin such manner that the arms and the crank shaft with its paddle wheels,may be adjusted toward or away from, the seat or saddle portion 6 at thetail of the body. For a small person, the crank shaft and arms are drawnor turned to the dotted line posi tion ofFigure 1, and for a largerperson the crank shaft and paddles are disposed as shown in full lines.

An additional adjustment of the crank arms is secured by the use ofslots16 that extend longitudinally of the bracket arms as will be described.The slotted bracket arms are slidable for adjustment in supportingbracket arms extend through the slots at, a

the accommodation of a bolt, .20 that is passed through the blocks andextends transversely through a bolt hole in the body of the appliance.At one end the bolt is fashioned with a head 21 engaging the outer sideof the block 19, and a nut 22 is threaded upon the opposite end 23 ofthe bolt and adapted to frictionally engage theouter face of the flangedblock 17. Thus the blocks in the slots of the body 1 may be retained infixed position by clamping the nut 22 on the bolt end, but when the nutis loosened the slotted bracket arms may be slid in their retainingblocks to adjust the crank shaft toward or away from the retaining bolt20. By this adjustment the cranks of the crank shaft-may be moved beyondthe full line position of Figure l to adapt the appliance for 'a' personwith a longer stretch of the arms,

or the cranks of the crankshaft may be moved nearer than the dottedposition to the tail of the appliance for a person with a shorter reach.v

In this manner the crank shaft and paddle wheels maybe swung 0n theretaining bolt as a pivot for adjustment with relation. to the body ofthe appliance, or the crank shaft may be adjusted as to distance withrelation to the retaining bolt 20 through the slotted connection of thebracket arms with the bolt and blocks, thus adapting the appliance foruse by persons of various sizes and ages.

It will be noted that the twisted shanks 24 of the paddle wheels eachhas a pair of blades at its ends and the shanks which are centrallyperforated are retained on the 'outer'ends of the respective crank-shaftsections by thumb nuts 25. When not in use the three shanks may be swungon the shaft ends into alinement and the nuts tightened to provide acompact formation for the wheels in order to reduce required space forthe thumb nut 22 and bolt 20 to release the retaining blocks and bracketarms of the propelling mechanism.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a buoyant bodyhaving a narrow tail portion and an enlarged upturned seat portionforming an extension thereof, of a pair of paddle wheels, and manuallyoperated, mechanical propulsion mechanism adjustably supported on saidbody for said wheels.

2. In a swimming appliance the combination with a buoyant body having aconverging rear end and an upturned and enlarged extension forming aseat or saddle, and manually operated, mechanical propulsion mechanismsupported on said body, for the purpose described.

3. The combination with a buoyant sup port having a bearing sleevesupported in adjustable relation and transversely thereof, of asectional crank shaft journaled in said bearing sleeve, and paddlewheels mounted on the opposite ends of said crank shaft.

l. The combination with a buoyant support having spaced, adjustablebracket arms, of a transversely disposed bearing sleeve supported onsaid arms, a sectional crank shaft journaled in the sleeve, and paddlewheels mountedat the opposite ends of said shaft.

The combination with a buoyant body having slots therein and slottedbracket arms on said. slots, of retaining blocks for said arms and aretaining bolt passed through said arms and blocks, collars on said armsand a li-iearing sleeve supported in said collars,

ascctional crank shaft journaled in the sleeve, and paddle wheels on theouter ends of said shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

VICTOR V. BACON.

